The Beauty of Being a Sociologist in a School of Medicine

When I tell people that I am a sociologist working in a school of medicine, I often get curious looks. What is a sociologist doing there? For me, the answer is simple: it is precisely at this intersection—between the social and the medical—that some exciting questions can emerge.

Bringing a Different Lens

As a sociologist, I carry with me a set of tools and vocabulary that are often new to my colleagues in medicine. Concepts like intersectionality, performativity, or disability justice can open fresh conversations about health, illness, and care. These concepts challenge us to see how experiences of health are always shaped by power, identity, and culture. They invite us to move beyond narrow biomedical understandings and to consider the full humanity of the people we serve.

Learning New Forms of Knowledge

At the same time, being in a school of medicine means I am constantly learning. My colleagues bring expertise in clinical practice, epidemiology, and biomedical research that enriches my own work. Together, we weave different forms of knowledge—social, medical, lived experience—into something more complex and, I believe, more useful.

Working alongside obstetricians and gynecologists, for example, I’ve had the privilege of collaborating on projects about reproductive health for disabled women. These collaborations remind me that no single discipline has all the answers.

Opportunities and Resources

There are also practical benefits to being situated in a school of medicine. Access to CIHR grants, research infrastructure, and interdisciplinary networks makes it possible to launch projects with a promising impact. The institutional support and resources of a medical school can sometimes help move research from ideas into action more quickly.

Training the Next Generation

One of the most rewarding aspects of being a sociologist in a school of medicine is the opportunity to teach and mentor future health professionals. When I introduce concepts like hegemony, biopower, and social capital, students often pause and reflect on how these ideas connect to their daily clinical encounters.

I have seen medical students rethink how they approach a patient’s “non-compliance,” for instance, when they realize it may be linked to barriers like systemic discrimination or sanism rather than personal failure.

Others have shared how learning about intersectionality changed the way they talk with patients about gender, sexuality, and race, making their care more inclusive and empathetic. These moments remind me that sociology is not only about analyzing structures of power but also about equipping the next generation of practitioners with the tools to see patients as whole people whose lives extend far beyond the examination room.

Gaining a Better Understanding of the World of Medicine

Being part of a school of medicine has also given me a deeper appreciation of what my medical colleagues experience in their daily work. Their lives are fast paced, often high stakes, and shaped by the pressure of limited time, heavy caseloads, and the responsibility of caring for people at vulnerable moments. Listening to their stories about difficult diagnoses, the frustrations of navigating hospital systems, or the moments of joy in patient care has helped me better understand the realities behind clinical practice.

This perspective matters for collaboration. Collaboration is not just about bringing different forms of knowledge together, but also about respecting the daily rhythms and constraints of each other’s work. At its best, this mutual recognition fosters a spirit of partnership. I learn from their expertise, they learn from mine, and together we build projects that are both rigorous and meaningful.

Colleagues Who Embrace New Perspectives

I have been continually struck by how eager many of my medical colleagues are to bring me into their projects. They are curious about what a sociological perspective might add, and they often welcome the chance to think beyond the boundaries of biomedicine. I have been invited to join teams not only to contribute my own expertise but also to help expand the questions being asked.

These collaborations are not one way. They challenge my colleagues to examine their own assumptions about disability, sexuality, and health, and they challenge me to stretch my own thinking in new directions. I feel fortunate to be surrounded by people who see the value of different perspectives and who are willing to create space for dialogue, growth, and shared discovery.

Moments of Misunderstanding

Of course, it is not always easy. There are times when sociological perspectives do not immediately resonate with medical colleagues, or when different assumptions about evidence and rigor create tension. But rather than seeing these as obstacles, I try to approach them with openness and curiosity. These moments of friction often spark the most unexpected and exciting collaborations, the ones that push all of us to think differently and more expansively.

Why It Matters

The beauty of being a sociologist in a school of medicine is precisely this: the chance to stand at a crossroads, to bring different worlds together, and to co-create knowledge that none of us could have produced alone. It is in these spaces of collaboration—sometimes smooth, sometimes challenging—that I see the greatest potential for transforming health research, education, and practice.